"Sh-Sh-Shit… L-Leader, s-should we… sh-should we retreat? R-Report to Boss?"
The man's teeth were chattering. His voice cracked, fingers twitching by his sides.
If the leader hadn't dragged him back -
He would've disappeared too.
Like the others.
The leader's face twisted.
"No fucking way."
His eyes didn't leave the cat.
But his voice dropped, laced with cold dread.
"You think boss is gonna believe three of our crew just vanished chasing an injured brat and half-dead girl?"
He glanced sideways, jaw clenched.
"There's no way he won't think we took the cluster for ourselves."
Everyone knew how boss handled traitors.
Slow.
Messy.
Loud.
"Go back, and we don't die quick like them." he muttered.
"We die screaming."
The other man swallowed hard.
He'd seen what happened to the last guy who failed.
Skinned alive. Doused in Soulbrand Oil. Took three days before he stopped begging to die.
And that was just for losing a bet.
